Folding bedstead



AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. M. DYE, OF CLINTON, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,304, dated October 9, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. M. DYE, of Clinton, in the county of Dewitt and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bedsteads; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a folding bed-post, which permits the entire bedstead and mattress, without being unjointed or taken in pieces, to be packed within a small vertical space.

In the following drawings: Figure l. is a perspective view of a portion of a bed stead, with the folding post secured upright. Fig. is a vertical elevation of a portion of inner face of side rail, with the cross rail ctc. in section, showing the fastenings. Fig. 3. shows the folding post doubled up. Fig. Il. is a transverse vertical section through side-rail and bed-post, showing the fastenings.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in all the drawings.

A, is the side-rail of bed-stead.

B, is the head, or foot cross-rail. The cross-rail B, is dove-tailed at the ends, and slips into a cast iron socket a. which is secured to side rail by screws. On the inner face of side-rail, at or near the cXtreme end, two circular plates are secured. These plates are formed with L-shaped slots, through which headed screw-bolts c, c, are thrust previous to the plates being screwed down. To the cross-rail B, close to side-rail A, a stout, cast-iron ring C is fastened b y means of a screw passing through an ear d, cast on the ring.

The bed post is constructed in two lengths D, and E; the contiguous ends c, f, of which, are formed to enter and lit the ring C. The screw bolts c, c, are passed each through one portion of the bed-post; and the ends e, and f, of the two portions D, and E, being placed in the ring C, as in a socket, the

thumb-nuts g, g, are placed on the screw bolts c, c, and tightened up, making the post firm and rigid as one constructed in a single piece. By loosening the thumb nuts g, g, the two portions of the post may be slipped outof the ring C, and turned at right angles as shown in Fig. The upper portion of post when folded, includes the mattress F.

The advantages of this invention are great and obvious: Manufacturers will by it be enabled to construct and put together, bedsteads ready for shipment, or for use, at a few minutes notice. For shipment they may be packed in a very small space, and thus without being unjointed, cost only a small amount for freight. To emigrants the same advantages of portability without the labor of taking in pieces is presented; and in houses where the occupants are short of room, these beds may be folded up and placed against the wall, thus leaving the loor at liberty for other uses.

I desire to note, as a. possible modification of my invention, the substitution of a mortise in the cross rail B, for the cast iron ring C; also the formation of a socket in the substance of one of the sections of bed-post, and a corresponding dowel or tenon in the other section, as an equivalent for the two dowel ends c, 7', and the ring C.

Having described my invention and its possible modifications, I proceed to state that what I claim, and what I wish by Letters Patent to secure, is-

Constructing the bed post in two sections D, and E, when made to be conjoined by the ring C, or its equivalent, and secured in an upright position for use by the screw bolts c, c, and thumb-nuts g, g; and when made to fold or turn upon said screw-bolts c, c, for the purpose of making the whole bed-stead compact and portable,.substantially as described.

A. M. DYE.

IVitnesses W'M. CLoUeH, GEO. PYBURN. 

